This invention relates to the field of isolation systems for use in selectively isolating electrical circuits from one another. More particularly, this invention relates to ring-detect interface circuitry for a communication system that may include isolation systems having capacitor-coupled isolation barriers. This invention is useful in, for example, telephony, medical electronics and industrial process control applications.
Electrical isolation barriers can be identified in many industrial, medical and communication applications where it is necessary to electrically isolate one section of electronic circuitry from another electronic section. In this context isolation exists between two sections of electronic circuitry if a large magnitude voltage source, typically on the order of one thousand volts or more, connected between any two circuit nodes separated by the barrier causes less than a minimal amount of current flow, typically on the order of ten milliamperes or less, through the voltage source. An electrical isolation barrier must exist, for example, in communication circuitry which connects directly to the standard two-wire public switched telephone network and that is powered through a standard residential wall outlet. Specifically, in order to achieve regulatory compliance with Federal Communications Commission Part 68, which governs electrical connections to the telephone network in order to prevent network harm, an isolation barrier capable of withstanding 1000 volts rms at 60 Hz with no more than 10 milliamps current flow, must exist between circuitry directly connected to the two wire telephone network and circuitry directly connected to the residential wall outlet.
In many applications there exists an analog or continuous time varying signal on one side of the isolation barrier, and the information contained in that signal must be communicated across the isolation barrier. For example, common telephone network modulator/demodulator, or modem, circuitry powered by a residential wall outlet must typically transfer an analog signal with bandwidth of approximately 4 kilohertz across an isolation barrier for transmission over the two-wire, public switched telephone network. The isolation method and associated circuitry must provide this communication reliably and inexpensively. In this context, the transfer of information across the isolation barrier is considered reliable only if all of the following conditions apply: the isolating elements themselves do not significantly distort the signal information, the communication is substantially insensitive to or undisturbed by voltage signals and impedances that exist between the isolated circuitry sections and, finally, the communication is substantially insensitive to or undisturbed by noise sources in physical proximity to the isolating elements.
High voltage isolation barriers are commonly implemented by using magnetic fields, electric fields, or light. The corresponding signal communication elements are transformers, capacitors and opto-isolators. Transformers can provide high voltage isolation between primary and secondary windings, and also provide a high degree of rejection of lower voltage signals that exist across the barrier, since these signals appear as common mode in transformer isolated circuit applications. For these reasons, transformers have been commonly used to interface modem circuitry to the standard, two-wire wire telephone network. In modem circuitry, the signal transferred across the barrier is typically analog in nature, and signal communication across the barrier is supported in both directions by a single transformer. However, analog signal communication through a transformer is subject to low frequency bandwidth limitations, as well as distortion caused by core nonlinearities. Further disadvantages of transformers are their size, weight and cost.
The distortion performance of transformer coupling can be improved while reducing the size and weight concerns by using smaller pulse transformers to transfer a digitally encoded version of the analog information signal across the isolation barrier, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,666, xe2x80x9cMODEM WITH DIGITAL ISOLATIONxe2x80x9d (incorporated herein by reference). However, two separate pulse transformers are disclosed for bidirectional communication with this technique, resulting in a cost disadvantage. Another disadvantage of transformer coupling is that additional isolation elements, such as relays and opto-isolators, are typically required to transfer control signal information, such as phone line hookswitch control and ring detect, across the isolation barrier, further increasing the cost and size of transformer-based isolation solutions.
Because of their lower cost, high voltage capacitors have also been commonly used for signal transfer in isolation system circuitry. Typically, the baseband or low frequency analog signal to be communicated across the isolation barrier is modulated to a higher frequency, where the capacitive isolation elements are more conductive. The receiving circuitry on the other side of the barrier demodulates the signal to recover the lower bandwidth signal of interest. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,895, xe2x80x9cTELEPHONE ISOLATION DEVICExe2x80x9d (incorporated herein by reference) discloses a switching modulation scheme applied directly to the analog information signal for transmission across a capacitive isolation barrier. Similar switching circuitry on the receiving end of the barrier demodulates the signal to recover the analog information. The disadvantage of this technique is that the analog communication, although differential, is not robust. Mismatches in the differential components allow noise signals, which can capacitively couple into the isolation barrier, to easily corrupt both the amplitude and timing (or phase) of the analog modulated signal, resulting in unreliable communication across the barrier. Even with perfectly matched components, noise signals can couple preferentially into one side of the differential communication channel. This scheme also requires separate isolation components for control signals, such as hookswitch control and ring detect, which increase the cost and complexity of the solution.
The amplitude corruption concern can be eliminated by other modulation schemes, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,595, xe2x80x9cCAPACITANCE COUPLED ISOLATION AMPLIFIER AND METHOD,xe2x80x9d which discloses a pulse width modulation scheme; U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,486 xe2x80x9cISOLATION AMPLIFIER WITH PRECISE TIMING OF SIGNALS COUPLED ACROSS ISOLATION BARRIER,xe2x80x9d which discloses a voltage-to-frequency modulation scheme; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,339 xe2x80x9cISOLATION AMPLIFIER INCLUDING PRECISION VOLTAGE-TO-DUTY CYCLE CONVERTER AND LOW RIPPLE, HIGH BANDWIDTH CHARGE BALANCE DEMODULATOR,xe2x80x9d which discloses a voltage-to-duty cycle modulation scheme. (All of the above-referenced patents are incorporated herein by reference.) In these modulation schemes, the amplitude of the modulated signal carries no information and corruption of its value by noise does not interfere with accurate reception. Instead, the signal information to be communicated across the isolation barrier is encoded into voltage transitions that occur at precise moments in time. Because of this required timing precision, these modulation schemes remain analog in nature. Furthermore, since capacitively coupled noise can cause timing (or phase) errors of voltage transitions in addition to amplitude errors, these modulation schemes remain sensitive to noise interference at the isolation barrier.
Another method for communicating an analog information signal across an isolation barrier is described in the Silicon Systems, Inc. data sheet for product number SSI73D2950. (See related U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,894 for xe2x80x9cTELEPHONE LINE INTERFACE WITH AC AND DC TRANSCONDUCTANCE LOOPSxe2x80x9d and U.S. Pat. No.5,602,912 for xe2x80x9cTELEPHONE HYBRID CIRCUITxe2x80x9d, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.) In this modem chipset, an analog signal with information to be communicated across an isolation barrier is converted to a digital format, with the amplitude of the digital signal restricted to standard digital logic levels. The digital signal is transmitted across the barrier by means of two, separate high voltage isolation capacitors. One capacitor is used to transfer the digital signal logic levels, while a separate capacitor is used to transmit a clock or timing synchronization signal across the barrier. The clock signal is used on the receiving side of the barrier as a timebase for analog signal recovery, and therefore requires a timing precision similar to that required by the analog modulation schemes. Consequently one disadvantage of this approach is that noise capacitively coupled at the isolation barrier can cause clock signal timing errors known as jitter, which corrupts the recovered analog signal and results in unreliable communication across the isolation barrier. Reliable signal communication is further compromised by the sensitivity of the single ended signal transfer to voltages that exist between the isolated circuit sections. Further disadvantages of the method described in this data sheet are the extra costs and board space associated with other required isolating elements, including a separate high voltage isolation capacitor for the clock signal, another separate isolation capacitor for bidirectional communication, and opto-isolators and relays for communicating control information across the isolation barrier.
Opto-isolators are also commonly used for transferring information across a high voltage isolation barrier. Signal information is typically quantized to two levels, corresponding to an xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d state for the light emitting diode (LED) inside the opto-isolator. U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,107 xe2x80x9cOPTICAL ISOLATION AMPLIFIER WITH SIGMA-DELTA MODULATIONxe2x80x9d (incorporated herein by reference) discloses a delta-sigma modulation scheme for two-level quantization of a baseband or low frequency signal, and subsequent communication across an isolation barrier through opto-isolators. Decoder and analog filtering circuits recover the baseband signal on the receiving side of the isolation barrier. As described, the modulation scheme encodes the signal information into on/off transitions of the LED at precise moments in time, thereby becoming susceptible to the same jitter (transition timing) sensitivity as the capacitive isolation amplifier modulation schemes.
Another example of signal transmission across an optical isolation barrier is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,275 xe2x80x9cANALOG DATA ACQUISITION APPARATUS AND METHOD PROVIDED WITH ELECTRO-OPTICAL ISOLATIONxe2x80x9d (incorporated herein by reference). In this disclosure, an analog-to-digital converter, or ADC, is used to convert several, multiplexed analog channels into digital format for transmission to a digital system. Opto-isolators are used to isolate the ADC from electrical noise generated in the digital system. Serial data transmission across the isolation barrier is synchronized by a clock signal that is passed through a separate opto-isolator. The ADC timebase or clock, however, is either generated on the analog side of the barrier or triggered by a software event on the digital side of the barrier. In either case, no mechanism is provided for jitter insensitive communication of the ADC clock, which is required for reliable signal reconstruction, across the isolation barrier. Some further disadvantages of optical isolation are that opto-isolators are typically more expensive than high voltage isolation capacitors, and they are unidirectional in nature, thereby requiring a plurality of opto-isolators to implement bidirectional communication.
In addition, direct access arrangement (DAA) circuitry including isolation barriers may be used to terminate the telephone connections at the user""s end and to provide a communication path for signals to and from the phone lines. This DAA circuitry may include circuitry for DC termination, AC termination, and ring detection. For standard DAA circuitry, a ring monitor signal is typically provided as an output that may be accessed by an external controller, such as a digital signal processor (DSP), to determine if ringing has occurred on the phone line. The DAA circuitry monitors the phone lines to provide this ring monitor signal as an output. Some existing controllers have relied upon this functionality and expect a ring-detect (RGDT) output pin on an integrated circuit DAA to provide this output as its sole function.
The present invention allows the DAA circuitry to provide a plurality of selectable signals, including a ring monitor signal, on a ring-detect output pin. Utilizing the interface circuitry of the present invention, DAA circuitry may interface with advanced controllers, such as advanced DSPs, while still being compatible with older controllers that expect only a ring monitor signal on the ring-detect pin. In particular, a ring-detect interface circuit of the present invention may include a multiplexer that receives multiple status bits or signals, including a ring monitor status signal, and that has an output controlled by a multiple-bit control register.
In one general respect, the present invention is a communication system including phone line side circuitry that may be coupled to phone lines, powered side circuitry that may be connected to the phone line side circuitry through an isolation barrier, and an interface circuit within the powered side circuitry that is coupled to an output pin to provide through the output pin one of a plurality of selectable output signals. In addition, the output pin may be a ring-detect output pin, and one of the plurality of selectable output signals may be a ring monitor signal.
In a further embodiment, the communication system includes the isolation barrier coupled between the phone line circuitry and the powered side circuitry. In another embodiment, the isolation barrier may comprise one or more capacitors and may have digital information transmitted across it. Still further, the interface circuitry may include a multiplexer receiving the plurality of selectable output signals and having its output controlled by a multiple-bit register, which may be controlled by data communicated to the powered side circuitry from an external device.
In another general respect, the present invention is a method for improving compatibility in a communication system including coupling an isolation barrier between powered side circuitry and phone line side circuitry that may be coupled to phone lines, selecting one of a plurality of selectable output signals, and communicating the selected output signal through an output pin coupled to the powered side circuitry. In a further embodiment, the output pin may be a ring-detect output pin and the selecting step may include selecting a ring monitor signal for the output signal. Still further, the method of the present invention may include the additional step of transmitting at least one of the plurality of selectable output signals as digital information across the isolation barrier, which may be capacitive, prior to the selecting step.
In a still further general respect, the present invention is an output control circuit within a communication system that may be coupled to phone lines for improving compatibility including an output pin and an interface circuit coupled to the output pin to provide through the output pin one of a plurality of selectable output signals. In a further embodiment, the output pin may be a ring-detect output pin, and one of the plurality of selectable output signals may be a ring monitor signal. Still further, one of the selectable output signals may be a DC loop current level. The interface circuit may include a multiplexer attached to the output pin and to the plurality of selectable output signals, and a multiple bit register coupled to the multiplexer to control which of the plurality of selectable output signals are output by the multiplexer.
In another general respect, the present invention is method for improving compatibility for a communication system that may be coupled to phone lines including selecting one of a plurality of selectable output signals and communicating the selected output signal through an output pin coupled to the powered side circuitry. In one embodiment, the selecting step may include selecting a ring monitor signal and the communicating step may include communicating the ring monitor signal through a ring-detect output pin.